


Left 4 Dead

by lemmekissurface



Category: Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2
Genre: Multi, Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-25
Updated: 2013-11-25
Packaged: 2018-01-02 14:10:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1057722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemmekissurface/pseuds/lemmekissurface
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The sound of rapidly broadcasting sirens seemed to fill every public building that they were hooked up to. They were high pitched, ringing in people's ears uncomfortably. Everyone in the stores, the schools, gas stations, and even libraries looked up in sudden confusion. <br/>And that was the last of what happened before the hoard moved into the small towns...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

One Day After Evacuation Of The City: Ellis

It was raining again. It seemed like that was all it ever did anymore. In fact, it had been raining for four days straight now, creating an endless haze of clouds above. This was how it was all over the cities, all over America. The virus was raging throughout the country, and no one could do anything about it.

Ellis wondered when the rain would stop. It made it hard to walk, and was so much that it was hard to see through as well. The rain created very unfit conditions, especially for when things were like this. He didn't like it, let alone with all of this rain. Somewhere, he knew there were other people out there besides just himself.

He looked up at the ceiling of his own house, listening to the rain pattering the tiles. It was oddly too quiet; usually there were dogs barking, cats meowing or hissing, cars honking. It unnerved him plenty. But at the moment, he was unlocking the gun case on the wall and pulling out a hefty shotgun. It was at least loaded. Relief flooded through him when he saw the numerous cases of bullets below the case on the hard wood floor. This was good enough for him.

After a few more minutes of wandering the house and looking it over for anything that he might need, Ellis started heading for the front door of the country home. He unlocked the large door, then pushed open the screen door as well. He glanced back with a faint sigh, a saddened look in his green eyes before he turned and pushed outside.

Ellis looked around the yellowed yard. It was lonely, and abandoned, but his pickup truck was parked in the gravel drive-way still. He groaned in annoyance. The truck would soon be out of gas, but he would drive it as far as he could until it broke down completely.

The sight of one of the dead farm dogs made him shiver as he climbed into the truck, turning the key. The engine sputtered, then roared to life as if brand new. Ellis gazed at the torn up dog for a moment longer, then slammed on the gas pedal and tore out of the drive-way. He'd get to town. There had to be a safe place there.

********************

His heart sank as he pulled the beaten, rustic red pickup truck onto the town's main road. The town was torn apart from its very roots, and this struck Ellis as appalling. The first thing he saw was a car smashed into a lamp post, smoke rising and coiling up from its pressed in hood. He recoiled at the sight, slowing his truck down as he drove further into the previously lively city.

The buildings were scratched and beaten, some even with words painted on their sides. Ellis frowned as he read a few of them. We're paying for our sins. He frowned deeper, turning the truck down the most popular road. It was empty. Alone. Abandoned.

In the back of his mind, Ellis wondered where all of his small-town friends were. Mostly Keith, but he wondered about everyone really. It wasn't like people to just randomly clear out of the city. And even if they did, the people down here were friendly. They would spread the news they were leaving.

The earlier sight of the dead dog in his front yard popped into his head, causing him to cringe. Ellis hadn't been paying any attention to the state of his pickup truck until now. It sputtered, rattling to the side of the road, where it shut down completely. "No!"

Ellis hit the steering wheel, then started trying to turn the key. The engine rattled, coughed, and then would refuse to start. He sank down in the leather seat. "Oh, good God..."

He already knew what his new resort was. Walking.


	2. Chapter Two

One Day After The Apocalypse: Nick

Nick sighed. He'd been driving down the same road for hours, and he had never taken one single turn the whole way. His hands hurt from gripping the wooden steering wheel so tightly for so long, but he ignored the feeling, his brown eyes locked grudgingly on the road. It was all because of those infected creatures that his wedding had been ruined. One could even call it killed. That's what his bride was now. Or at least, she was infected as well.

It hurt him to have to think about that, but it was real life. Nick had been thinking about that ever since he drove away and left the town behind, and it continued to prod at him even when he did try to ignore it. There just was no way that he could possibly ignore the fact that his bride was dead. Well, not dead, but she wasn't alive either. The thoughts were giving him a headache.

Usually, Nick would have turned on the radio to help clear his mind. It would have given him something to focus on. However, there was no music on. Instead, it was all replaced with news casts, sometimes even screaming. The radios were broadcasting people screaming. Dying. They always stated it as a 'news update', but Nick simply found it dreadful. He didn't understand how they could sit around playing the dying screams of people. Some even children.

He shook his head at those thoughts, discouraging them. For what had to have been only the first time, he finally turned the car onto a back road. Nick had been driving for an entire day, heading out to this rural area in search of a safe town. Or a place where people could explain these happenings to him. At least that could be reassuring.

However, his previously high hopes were shattered like glass when he pulled into the town. It was abandoned, emptied of all previous populators. His heart tightened at the sight of the painted words on the walls. This town had already been infected. It was made clear by the conditions of this place. This made him even more dismayed. But then he saw it. Or actually, saw him.

There was a younger male, perhaps maybe about twenty, trying to fix a truck. The hood was up on the red vehicle as the teenager fumbled around inside. It was clear that his attempts were getting him nowhere, since he was grumbling under his breath, his brow creased into a frown. Nick was hesitant before he pulled up next to him. His hand rested on the pistol in the passenger seat. "Excuse me."

The male looked up. There was sweat above his brow, and was visible even under the shade of his old blue ball cap. His green eyes were desperate looking almost. "Oh, uh, hello...?"

"You look like you're having trouble with your truck..." Nick said lightly, nodding at the rusty red pickup truck that was now parked next to his own black Cadillac. "If it's out of gas, you're going to have a pretty big problem. What's your name, kid?"

"My name? It's Ellis."

Nick nodded in response, stepping out of his car. He shoved the pistol quickly under his coat. "I'm Nick. So, your car...It's out of gas, isn't it?"

Ellis glared at the red pickup truck as if magically talking to it. "Yeah. I drove it as far as it would go. Guess I'm walking now. Where are you headed, Nick?"

"Well, I was headed here to try and figure out what's going on. But now...That plan kind of went down the drain," Nick spun his fingers in notion of water trickling downward. "What about you?"

"I live just outside the town. But everyone went missing, so I came 'ere to look around for them...But, it's empty here too." Ellis explained.

"Right. Well, I can't just leave you out here, kiddo. You can come with me. Cars got enough gas to get us to the next town, at least."

Ellis paused, then he nodded and climbed into the car after Nick. "Okay...Thanks...I think."


	3. Chapter Three

Ellis

Ellis had, at first, been hesitant. Everyone was taught at a young age to never get into a car with a stranger. Or to go anywhere with a stranger. Well, that was exactly what Ellis had just done. Though Nick seemed nice enough, and he was just as confused as he was. Even if he did want to hurt him, Nick had no advantages. He looked over at him.

"Why are you dressed in a suit...?" Ellis asked, not thinking about what the answer could end up being. He never really did think things through as much as he should have.

Nick paused. His dark blue eyes studied the road, then he looked over at Ellis for a moment, keeping the car driving straight. "I was headed to my wedding when the hoard moved in..."

"Oh..." He felt bad for asking, simply giving a nod and looking out the window. Since Nick was alone, he could easily guess what had happened and where his would-be wife was. He felt even worse, an almost guilty feeling settling on him as he watched the beaten down roll past.

Ellis glanced over at Nick once again, then he looked out ahead this time. "Well, since the town is abandoned, where are we going?"

"There's a city not too far out. There could be survivors there."

"Survivors...? Does that mean everyone else is...Dead?"

Nick laughed awkwardly. "You're young, kid. How old are you?"

"I'm twenty-one..." Ellis answered bluntly, confused by his sudden laughter.

"Twenty-one!? And you're stuck in this zombie-apocalypse thing...Lord, that's quite a story you'll have to tell one day!" Nick offered another one of his rough laughs.

Ellis hinted at a smile as he shrugged, "I guess so...You're so shocked by me being twenty-one, how old are you?"

Nick laughed even more. He looked over at Ellis with a smile. His teeth were bright white. He was clearly a richer man. "I'm thirty. Lucky I'm not a woman. They freak if you ask their ages."

"Yeah, ya look like a dude to me!" Ellis laughed along. He had a terribly southern accent, and clearly liked to talk allot. "Hey, I wonder what happened to Whispering Oaks..."

"Whispering who?" Nick asked absently, his eyes back on the road.

"Whispering Oaks. It's an amusement park a little ways out. Maybe two or three hours drive. You've never been?"

"Can't say I have. Doesn't sound familiar either." Nick shook his head, "And if it's that far out, maybe it hasn't gotten infected yet."

"Exactly! Can we go!?" Ellis grinned at him now.

"Kid, let's go to the town first. We'll look for survivors, then we can head out that way. Thought it might be on foot..." Nick frowned and looked at the car's controls.

"What do you mean?" Ellis asked.

"We've got a gallon left."


	4. Chapter Four

Nick

Nick saw the shock that flashed across Ellis' eyes. He wasn't nearly as shocked himself, instead just a bit dismayed. It had been a high hope of his that the car would have enough gasoline to get them into the very heart of the city. Though it could et them close, he found it doubtful that the car would get them all the way in.

"Well, our plan of going to Whispering Oaks might have just been trashed, Ellis." Nick said bluntly, reaching under the seat. He fumbled there for a moment, then pulled out another pistol. He tossed it to a surprised Ellis, then went back to driving. The closer he could get them to the city, the better. There was no telling what to expect.

Ellis was studying the gun with excitement scrawled across his face. "We can always walk!"

"Walk? Ellis, it's miles away!" Nick scoffed disbelievingly. This kid...He thought privately.

"It's only a few miles. One time, me and my friend, Keith, we walked twenty miles." Ellis grinned, tilting his hand as if recalling the memory cheerfully.

"Twenty miles? Why on Earth would you walk twenty miles?"

"Well, it was for this school project. They told us we needed more exercise, but Keith took that a bit too seriously. Did I ever tell you about the time me and Keith-"

"Hey, Ellis! Let's play a shut-up game! Ready? One, two, three, go!"

"Alright..."

It took allot of Nick's strength to not laugh at Ellis. He had just been so rude to him, yet Ellis didn't seem to care at all. Actually, he probably had just thought that Nick was kidding. Already it seemed Ellis considered him a friend. Great, Nick thought absently.

He continued to drive the car straight down the road, just waiting for Ellis to start talking randomly again. But for a while, the younger male was silent, gazing intently out the window. Nick slightly wondered what was going through his head, and what he thought of this whole zombie thing. He wasn't even sure he found it believable himself. Maybe he was asleep?

Nick inwardly scoffed at his stupid thought. There was no way he was asleep. He remembered being attacked by the hoard in the depths of his home town. That was something he had felt. You couldn't feel things in your dreams. Dismayed, Nick let out a sigh. "You can talk now if you'd like, Ellis."

"Oh, okay! What's your favorite color, Nick?" Ellis sputtered instantly, almost tangling his words together.

"My favorite color," Nick repeated bluntly. "Is probably blue."

"Yeah?" Ellis asked. "I like blue...But yellow is my favorite!"

"Yellow? Like, the sun? That bright yellow?" 

"Just like the sun!" Ellis grinned, nodding rapidly. He looked over at Nick with such a bright look, that he almost felt bad for telling him to be quiet earlier. Almost.

Nick switched his own gaze back to the road again after glancing over at him as well. It was almost insane to be that cheerful, or to talk so much. "That's a...Very bright color, Ellis."

Ellis nodded yet again. He was gazing at the city that was coming into view ahead. It was large, all the buildings made of lovely bricks. It looked okay from there. "Hey, look! It looks safe!"

"Looks." Nick stated. "It could be infested with those creatures."

Ellis looked over at him. For once, his smile fell and faded gradually away. "Really? You think it is...?"

"I don't know. I'm just saying that we should be careful-" Nick started. The car's engine rumbled and clanked. The lights inside fluttered out, and it slowed to a dead stop right there on the road. "You have got to be joking!"

"Oh, well, darn..." Ellis frowned as Nick climbed out of the car. He soon did the same. It was even hotter outside than it had been earlier. "Whoa...It got warmer..."

"Thanks for the input, Ellis. C'mon, let's go." Nick groaned as he started trudging towards the city, Ellis following on his heels like a puppy.


	5. Chapter Five

Ellis

Ellis was used to the hot temperature of this area, being the country-boy that he was. Excitement was bubbling up inside of him. The thought of finding more survivors sounded very appealing. Not that Nick wasn't good enough company. He liked Nick, and already considered him a friend. Even though he seemed a bit annoyed at times, Ellis thought that he was overall a friendly guy. And that was what was needed most right now.

He could only imagine having new people to meet. The thought of maybe finding a safe place too was also a very bright and exciting thought to have. It would be a nice change to finally be out of the infected towns. But as they drew closer, Ellis could see boards over the windows of some buildings. "Aw, man..."

Nick followed his gaze. "Oh, well, of course. Go figure it would be infected."

Ellis was quiet now as they trudged on. He looked at the pistol in his hand, shaking it to hear the assuring rattle of bullets inside. He was relieved that he was at least armed. It would not be a smart thing to go into an infected city, and then to not be armed as well. This was already dangerous enough. "Still, makes ya wonder if the infection got all the way to Whispering Oaks."

"Uh...Not really, Ellis. If it got here, I'm sure it got to your amusement park too." Nick deadpanned, slowing to a stop in the center of the city. Ellis frowned, looking around and listening for any noises. He continued to look around, confusion his single solid expression. It was oddly silent.

"Hey, Nick?"

"What is it now, Ellis?" Nick sighed, not bothering to glance over at him. It was probably just another stupid topic.

"Do you think it's, I don't know, too quiet?" 

Nick frowned and looked over at Ellis, who was still gazing around much like a lost puppy might. He was clearly worried about being here. No, he was totally worried about being here.

"I don't know. I guess so. Just...Sing to yourself or something, to break the silence." He finally replied.

Ellis paused from walking, shook the gun to check if it was loaded, then continued to walk again. However, he didn't take Nick's advice, instead staying even more quiet than the last time. He knew that Nick was constantly looking around, and he was too. There had to be survivors here. It couldn't end up just empty again.

"Maybe we should split up?" Ellis offered after a few minutes of time. He straightened out his dull blue ball cap, tightened his jacket around his waist, and waited for a reply.

"You think it's a good idea to split up in a near-death situation?" Nick scoffed.

"Well, I wouldn't call it 'near-death'..." Ellis muttered. He was trying to stay postive, but Nick didn't seem to be helping with that.

"I would, Ellis. Let's just go check some of the smaller buildings first." Nick stated, picking up his pace more. He was walking ahead of Ellis now, even though he was still a bit hesitant.

Ellis sighed in annoyance, but he followed none-the-less. It didn't take him too terribly long to notice a metal, silver door. There was bright colored paint on it, warning signs, and the words Safe-House sprawled across the front in front of a barred window. He was the first to notice it. "Nick! Nick, come look at this! Hey, Nick!"

"God, Ellis! Hold on a minute!" Nick snapped, turning around to see what he was looking at. He froze. "Oh..."


	6. Chapter Six

Nick

Nick was at Ellis' side in an instant, his pistol held tight in his hand. He wanted to open the door, but there was no telling what would be on the other side. There was clearly something. The door actually led into an entire house, and there were lights on inside. Of course, no one bothered to turn the TVs on anymore. There was never anything on anymore, since almost all the news-cast teams might as well be undead as well. He sighed at the thought, then turned to Ellis. "Ellis, open the door."

"What?" Ellis sounded shocked, and he took a step away, shaking his head rapidly. "No way, dude! There's no telling what's in there! You're older, supposed to be smarter! You open it!"

Nick frowned at him in return, crossing his arms. This was truly annoying, but he could easily see the argument would get nowhere with Ellis. "Fine. Just...Watch my back, will you, at least?" He didn't wait for the reply. He trusted Ellis to do at least that much.

Hesitantly, he wandered up to the door and started trying to open it. Without a doubt, it was locked and shut tight. He growled under his breath in return, then started trying to pick the lock. He'd done it numerous times already. That was how he'd gotten the pistols. Picked the lock into a gunsmith store. No one would be needing the weapons anyways.

After numerous times of trying, there was finally a click and Nick was able to push the door open. Inside it was cool, surprisingly. Someone had to have been there to turn on the air-conditioner. It wouldn't be able to be done by some wandering, clumsy infected. Nick waved for Ellis to follow him inside, and looked around once he was past the doorway. It was a warm, friendly looking house, one that didn't look like it should belong in an infectionate area like this.

"This is weird, man..." Ellis murmured from behind him, trudging along with him.

"Shh." Nick shushed him in return, pushing open a door to a spare room. There was nothing or no-one there. He frowned and continued along.

"Who are you!?"

Nick and Ellis both froze dead in their tracks, snapping their gazes ahead and locking them on the female. African-American, dressed in a tight pink shirt, black jeans, and warm looking winter boots. In her hand, held tight with a finger over the trigger, was a shotgun.

"Uh...My name is Nick," Nick said carefully, putting his hands up, letting the pistol clatter to the floor.

"Ah'm Ellis." Ellis returned a reply, dropping his pistol as well. His green eyes were wide in surprise. Would this girl shoot them?

The female frowned, but lowered her gun. "You're not infected...I'm Rochelle."

"Rochelle." Nick tried the name out with a nod. "Nice to meet you...We read the paintings on the door and-"

"That was already there. I didn't put it there." Rochelle said bluntly, crossing her arms. "But I suppose it would be...Cruel of me to make you go back out there. You might as well make yourselves comfortable. Me and Coach are moving out in the morning. We're headed to the bridge."

"Whispering Oaks is on the way there!" Ellis beamed.

"Whisperin' who-?"

"It's some amusement park." Nick stated in reply, his tone bored and blunt. "The kid seems to love the place. So...Maybe we could, make a group out of this?"

"The zombie-killers-in-the-carnival?" Rochelle laughed lightly. "Suppose so. Nick."


End file.
